Another Heating Question!

[ivorl]

Sorry to bore everyone with this but I need help.

I've a 2006 Cali and the aux heater has never really worked since I bought it second hand in 2010.

The battery is good. The earth shunt is in place. The fuses are ok. Fuel ok. VW recently replaced some part that ignites the fuel (bougie - we live in French speaking Switzerland)

BUT all that happens is the heater comes on, blows cold air continually and/or switches off.

Any advice very welcome.

Ivor

 

[Freeley]

You say the earth shunt is in place - is it the original or has it been replaced at some point to your knowledge?
This would be the main culprit in my opinion as a dodgy earth can cause this problem.
Might be worth looking at even if it has been done at some point

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[ivorl]

Not sure about earth shunt but will check. Thanks!

 

[Andresz]

Not sure about earth shunt but will check. Thanks!

Check if you have a thick wire connected to archwheel under the fridge. You have to remove the cover next to grey water drain tap, to see that. If there is the threated hole only with no cable, then the earth shunt is not done, or not ultimately done.
Cheers
Andrzej

 

[jts46]

Check out the article i wrote when i did mine in the downloads section or send me a message and i will email you a copy

john

 

[briwy]

It might be the pump that feeds diesel to the unit has packed up.
Can you hear a ticking noise when you switch it on? If not, get the pump checked.
If there is no fuel getting through the unit will simply give up and stop.

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

If you try and operate it with the interior camping lights on, do the lights flicker when the heater is trying to start?

thanks

 

[Barryjm]

I have assumed that if the heater does not work with the mains connected then it is not a battery or earth problem since it now has power and earth supplied externally? Have I got this wrong?

Cheers
Barry



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[Andy]

I have assumed that if the heater does not work with the mains connected then it is not a battery or earth problem since it now has power and earth supplied externally? Have I got this wrong?

Cheers
Barry



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I think when on hookup the batteries are charged & everything still works off the batteries at 12v so all hookup will discount is low battery voltage. Still uses battery earth on hookup, so it could still have earth shunt fault.
Hope that makes some sense.

 

[Barryjm]

Thanks Andy, that makes sense.

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[Andresz]

If you try and operate it with the interior camping lights on, do the lights flicker when the heater is trying to start?

thanks

This would not work if the lights are LED not halogen. Only halogen flickers, but the bluish backlight of control panel would flicker always with the earth shunt issue.

 

[ivorl]

Thanks for all the info. I'm investigating!

 

[yanathem]

Not quite true regarding the led lights flickering, I've recently changed ours from halogen to led and have started to use the heater, obviously because it's winter and cold.
The led lights flicker when starting the heater up and they flicker when the heater changes temp and when it starts to shut down.
Now I have put this down to the earth shunt only because of reading other posts on here regarding this and have now ordered the parts needed to fix this, hopefully once done there should be no flickering lights.

 

[ivorl]

Hello, heater still not working but I have the following info:

when the heater is turned on, it starts up and the fan starts blowing, but only cold air.
Initially the display reads (12.2V, 50%' -4.8) but this goes to
(12.3V, 40%, 0.0) after a few minutes. The fan then turns off by itself.

Apparently the battery is ok and I have an earth shunt.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Ivor

 

[Andresz]

Check the earth shunt as said earlier (this year).

 

[calikev]

All Cali's have an earth shunt but is it up to the job :?: it needs to be thick and have a good connection to the chassis

 

[jts46]

Hello, heater still not working but I have the following info:

when the heater is turned on, it starts up and the fan starts blowing, but only cold air.
Initially the display reads (12.2V, 50%' -4.8) but this goes to
(12.3V, 40%, 0.0) after a few minutes. The fan then turns off by itself.

Apparently the battery is ok and I have an earth shunt.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Ivor

You need to check the earth shunt has been repaired correctly!!!!!!!

John

 

[maaze]

Went to France and only one cold night - just when the aux heater refused to work - typical - wife not amused. it started odd times after but only trying it. then stopped working altogether, left it a couple of years as not really used often. Took it for servcie recently and garage said it may have needed re-set in diagnogstics, came back working OK - so thats one they do not tell you I think. However now been trying it as garage said they would not bill us until we were happy with - they're great here. Heater works and temperature goes up, then after a good while the fan slows and stops, the heater symbol stays on, the fuel pump ticks away and after about 5 mins or so the symbol disappears and the fan starts on cold - Question is why? is it to do with ventalation safety check, or a fault or what - I never have got to grips with it any ideas welcome. Battery strength good

Maaze

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

I have found they all start cold and will blow out cold air and gradually get warmer.

cheers

 

[maaze]

yes that is exactly what happens when it starts and works, but then then heater symbol disappears and the fuel pump noise stops and only cold air comes out before the fan stops altogether. I read in the manulal that the heater only works for a max of 1 hour and if timer is not set to 1 hour it only last 10mins. It may be that I need an up to date instruction manual as what came with it seems to be to brief to explain how it works and the pictures relate to an earlier control system I think. Any one know of a detailed manual online ? its an 08 California.

 

[Andy]

pdf california supplement in the downloads section.

 

[maaze]

Thanks not been in that part of site before and it costs £9.99 to acesss, but for what type of document? I have the manuals with the van and they are useless - surely VW supply more information free? However since discovered teh aux heater works fine if mains plugged in. SO deduce that it may be a Leisure battery issue - although teh voltage shows 12.7 90% charge - I'll have to test again and see what exactly it drops to, The Batteries are original and so are 6 years old - we have 2 leisure Batteries - seems unlikly tehy woudl not be holding enough charge to run tehaux heater for more than about 30 minutes. The manual we do have suggest heater cuts out below 10.5volts - anyone got any knowledge about teh 2 extar Leisure batteries and how long they last? or if replacemenst needed what is te hbest type to buy?

 

[Andy]

Hello, heater still not working but I have the following info:

when the heater is turned on, it starts up and the fan starts blowing, but only cold air.
Initially the display reads (12.2V, 50%' -4.8) but this goes to
(12.3V, 40%, 0.0) after a few minutes. The fan then turns off by itself.

Apparently the battery is ok and I have an earth shunt.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Ivor

"12.2V, 50%' " is not enough power / voltage for the heater to start up.
As suggested above check earth shunt has been done & is making good connection.
I would also suggest you charge batteries on mains & try again.

 

[Eystein007]

You need to check the earth shunt has been repaired correctly!!!!!!!

John

What is the consequence of mount it wrong. I changed it my self so maybe you could explain.

I Changed it after i "blowed" it off after using my camper batteries to jump start my engine. And I hooked up wrong Minus to pluss!!! LOL

 

[WelshGas]

You can programme the heater to come on at a set time and also stay on for a period. But on pure manual mode the time limit is determined by the amount of fuel in the tank, presuming you are on mains hookup, or leisure battery output if not. If the leisure batteries are 6 yrs old then, unless they have been really, really well looked after, the likelihood is that they need replacing.